Elgin fatal fire's cause still unknown

Nearly three months after Ramon Negron's body was discovered on a fire-ravaged bed in Elgin, questions remain about what sparked the blaze that killed him.

The 69-year-old's death was ruled undetermined by a Kane County coroner's jury Wednesday after investigators testified about the mysterious circumstances.

"We know where the fire originated, but we were unable to come up with a cause at this point," Elgin firefighter Brian Kick said.

Negron, who died of severe burns, was found lying face up and clothed on a bed in his bedroom about 5 a.m. June 7 after witnesses reported smoke coming from his house on the 1000 block of Logan Avenue.

The fire was largely contained to the bed, suggesting it started there, Kick said, but there was no evidence of an accelerant or smoking material, such as a cigarette, that might have contributed to its cause or intensity. A book of matches was found between Negron's feet.

The blaze prompted a full police investigation, but detective Christopher Hughes testified that authorities found no signs of a struggle or foul play. He added that the possibility the fire began with smoking materials contradicted accounts by Negron's family that he wasn't a smoker and the possibility of suicide seemed logistically unlikely without an accelerant.

All the windows and doors on Negron's home were closed and there were smoke detectors inside, according to police. Negron also had no carbon monoxide in his lungs, indicating his throat had closed before he ingested any smoke.

"We have no reason to believe he was deliberately harmed," Hughes said.

Toxicology tests showed later that Negron had nicotine, caffeine and prescribed levels of medications in his system at the time of death, according to the coroner's office.

In May, Negron received psychiatric care for depression and related issues at an Elgin hospital, Kick said. Negron's wife died of natural causes while he was there; he later lived alone.